It is known to provide individual confectionery items in the form of pellets, pastilles, tablets or the like. For example, chewing gum can be presented in the form of pellets which have a relatively hard outer casing or shell and a soft centre. The pellets are usually shaped somewhat like a small pillow. Other confectionery products are also presented in a similar form. For example, hard boiled sweets, candies, chocolates, toffee or mints may be provided in the form of pellets or pastilles as can may other types of candy both hard and soft. For ease of reference, the terms pellet and pellets will be used hereinafter but it should be understood that these terms are intended to encompass other similar arrangements such as pastilles, tablets and the like.
The terms gum and chewing gum as used herein include bubble gum.
When packaging confectionery products in pellet form, it is known to position a number of pellets adjacent each other in a line to form a stack having a longitudinal axis which extends through all the pellets in the stack and to wrap the stack in a sheet wrapper. The wrapper is folded circumferentially about the stack so that one side edge of the wrapper overlaps another side edge and is held in place by means of adhesive to form a seal. In this arrangement, the side edges are aligned generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the stack. The wrapper is longer than the stack of confectionery items so that the ends of the wrapper extend beyond the ends of the stack. Each end of the wrapper is folded to provide end closure flaps which overlie their respective end of the stack to form an end wall region. The flaps are usually held in place by means of adhesive so that the wrapper forms a sealed, tubular pack for the confectionery pellets.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stack 10 of chewing gum pellets 12 packaged in a wrapper 14 in a conventional manner. The wrapper 14 typically comprises a single or multi-layer sheet of foil to help keep the contents fresh. Sometimes a second, inner wrapper is provided which is folded about the stack of gum pellets in a similar manner to the main or outer wrapper 14 before the outer wrapper is applied. This is referred to as “double wrapped”. However, in many cases only a single wrapper is used, which is referred to as “single wrapped”. Many different confectionery products are packaged in this manner.
To assist a consumer in gaining access to the confectionery items, it is common practice to provide tear guide in or on the wrapper which assists a consumer in tearing the pack along a predetermined line in order to open the package. One known form of tear guide is a tear strip 20 which extends circumferentially around the stack of confectionery items near but spaced from one end. The arrangement is such that a free end of the tear strip can be grasped by a consumer and pulled to tear the wrapper along the line of the strip to remove an end wall region 18 of the pack. This allows access to the confectionery pellets which can be removed from the packaging one at a time.
In known packaging arrangements, the tear strip 20 is spaced inwardly from the end of the stack by a distance which is roughly equivalent to the thickness of one of the pellets 12. This makes the packaging easier to manufacture and to open but it does result in a number of problems. Firstly, while the wrapper is being opened there is a risk that a first pellet 12a at that end of the stack, which is positioned at least partly outboard of the tear strip 20, may be lost as the end of the wrapper is removed. Secondly, once the wrapper is opened and the first confectionery item 12a removed, the torn end of the remaining side wall portion of the wrapper will tend to be level with or close to the outer face of the second pellet 12b in the stack. As a result, the wrapper cannot be re-closed so that at least the outer face of the second confectionery item 12b in the stack is exposed with the risk that it may become contaminated or may go soft before it is used. There is also a risk that the pellets remaining in the stack may fall out of the package which will not be effectively closed at the opened end. These problems particularly arise where the stack is single wrapped, as there is no inner wrapper to help contain and protect the pellets.
A further drawback of the known method of packaging chewing gum pellets is that it can be awkward for a consumer to remove further pellets. If the open end of the wrapper is folded over after a first or second pellet has been removed, the consumer will first have to unfold the package again before a further pellet can be removed. However, even after unfolding, the package will not be smooth making it difficult for the consumer to easily remove further pellets.
WO 2006/075231 A1 discloses packaging for a stack of confectionery products comprising a rigid container body closed at one end by means of a hinged lid.
Whilst the use of a rigid container and end closure as described in WO 2006/075231 A1 overcomes many of the problems of the prior art wrapper discussed above, the packaging is relatively expensive to manufacture. In addition, many consumers prefer the feel of a soft package, particularly where the packaging is used for gum pellets which may be carried in a consumer's pocket.
There is a need, therefore, for a packaging for a stack of confectionery pellets that overcomes, or at least mitigates, some or all of the problems with the known packaging.
There is a need in particular for a packaging of a stack of confectionery pellets that is easier to re-close and re-open than the known packaging yet which is relatively easy and cheap to manufacture.
There is also a need for an improved method of packaging a stack of confectionery pellets, which overcomes, or at least mitigates, the disadvantages of the known methods.